Nostalgia
Playboy Motor Co.
Right after World War II, the soldiers were returning from overseas. The automobile industry began retooling the factories to build cars again. Americans were yearning for new cars. Peace time had finally come after six years of war. Car builders and investors saw their chance to create something new. Three friends got together and thought they had the right idea for a car. Louis Horwitz, a Packard dealer, Charles D. Thomas, a Pontiac engineer, and Norman Richardson, a talented mechanic, saw a need in the car market. Their car would: • • • • • •
Sell for under $1000 dollars Be compact, two door and economical Have a 4 cylinder 40 horse power engine Seat three passengers Have a retractable convertible hardtop roof Most likely be used as an around-the-town second car
In 1947, the friends set out on their venture and started the Playboy Car Company in Buffalo, N.Y. They began with mass advertising with hopes of gaining public interest. By 1948, a total of 97 prototype cars were built. These cars were shipped around the country in a publicity run. Their hopes hung on obtaining new investors in the car company. But, the interest just wasn’t there. The scandals from the Tucker cars made investors skeptical of investing in a new car company. A deal with Henry Kaiser and other potential investors fell through. They could not maintain the company without the necessary capital. In June 1949, the company went bankrupt. All the cars and company assets were sold at auction. By 1964, Donald Moore, a car collector from Massachusetts, purchased the remaining parts. Of the 97 cars built, none were ever sold to the public. Today, there are only 45 that still exist and 15 that are still on the road. Only 5 have the optional windshield mounted spotlight. If you are wondering, Hugh Hefner the owner of Playboy Magazine, got the name for his magazine from the ill-fated Playboy Car Company. Michael Cohen’s Playboy
Michael is currently working to get the car back on the road again. It is tedious work looking for parts for a car that is no longer made. However, luckily, some of the parts used to build the Playboy came from other car manufactures such as Ford, Chevrolet and Buick. The motor is a four cylinder flat head built by Hercules. The tail light bezels were from a 1930 Chevy Special Deluxe, the dash bezels were from a 1942 Studebaker truck, and the door handles were from a Ford Model A Straight Window Coupe. According to Mr. Cohen, there were many innovations when the Playboy Car was built. Some of these innovations were: • • • • • •
Independent four wheel suspension Slab side design for aerodynamics Four wheel hydraulic brakes Retractable hard top roof Warner three speed synchromesh manual transmission with column shift Single Carter carburetor
The Playboy is an unusual car and should look great when Micheal Cohen puts it on the road again. We can’t wait to see it driving down the street or at a car show. Good luck Michael!
In a recent interview with Rods & Classics USA magazine, Michael Cohen, a car enthusiast, told us about his 1948 Playboy. Michael said, “I have always liked cars with retractable roofs. I had heard of the Playboy car, but had only seen them in pictures. When a friend told me there was one available, I just had to go see it. I fell in love with it when I saw it.” He ended up buying the car and took it home to his garage. The red and white Playboy was complete. It just needed restoration and plenty of TLC.
Rods
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Classics 19